Restaurant Eindeloos

Formerly a cobbler's shop, it is now the culinary domain of owner-chef Willem Schaafsma. In 2009, he took over Restaurant Endeloos, housed in a historic old building, to bring his vision to life: artisanal gastronomy showcasing the finest regional produce, classic Mediterranean flavors, occasionally accented with Eastern notes, all presented in a contemporary style. Alongside his head chef Jesse Krekelaar, he continuously refines this vision, resulting in an increasingly balanced, frequently changing tasting menu. Vegetables and herbs form the foundation of each dish, complemented by meat, fish, or game. Diners may choose between the Endeloos Tasting Menu or a fully plant-based option. Please specify your preference when booking so the kitchen can prepare accordingly. Each menu comes with locally baked bread served with butter and rapeseed oil from Wilman. The braised beef cheek from a Frisian dairy cow, cooked in a VOC spice blend and served with crispy oyster mushrooms, lamb's lettuce, celeriac, and an earthy mushroom mousse, is a masterpiece. The ravioli doppio, filled with roasted cauliflower and Wieringer beans with chives, sunflower seeds, and salted mandarin zest in a miso foam, is equally outstanding. Yet the undisputed highlight of the evening is the confited cod belly fillet with orange, curry, and thyme, accompanied by pumpkin, yellow pepper, and orange zest preparations. What ingenuity!

Eindeloos is an established name in vibrant Leeuwarden. Chef-owner Willem Schaafsma combines classic techniques with curiosity and courage. His French-Mediterranean cuisine takes on a subtle Asian dimension, without losing its character...

For a wine lover, dining at Eindeloos in Leeuwarden is a treat. The wine list is very extensive and the wine pairings are certainly not standard fare. They guarantee surprising, unconventional choices made with great respect for nature. The restaurant has a new head chef, Jesse Krekelaar. We start with sourdough Stoerbrood from the bakery of the same name in Opende, served with rapeseed oil from Groningen and salt from the Oosterschelde. According to the website, a three-course menu is an option. Once inside the restaurant, however, there is no menu card, and we are asked whether we would like the Proeverij Eindeloos in four, five, or six courses. We opt for three courses, even though this option isn't verbally offered. Unfortunately, the starter—a pleated winter carrot with some strips of winter carrot on a winter carrot salad, accompanied by lemon cream and a celery-grapefruit sauce—is hardly noteworthy. Bitter notes dominate, and it feels as if something is missing. Fortunately, the Texel lamb fillet from the main course more than makes up for it. It is served with a sauce of lavas, bimi, and pickled cauliflower. The Matas Altas Stratum Wines 2022 is a wonderful wine made from the Monastrell grape from Jumilla, Spain. The wine and food pairing is perfect. The cheese board concept is original and enjoyable. If we choose cheese instead of dessert, the cheese board features four cheeses. If we want more cheese, we can upgrade to eight varieties for an additional charge. A lovely selection of cheeses from the Netherlands and Belgium has been chosen. All's well that ends well.

Many things here are slightly different from what you'd find in most other restaurants. Chef and owner Willem Schaafsma has his own style, based on organic principles. He sources vegetables and fruit from his own nearby kitchen garden. What he needs further comes largely from regional suppliers who are closely aligned with nature. His cooking style is French-Mediterranean. The wines stand out because they often feature a distinctive origin. The 'Endless Tasting' menu offers four to six courses, also available as a plant-based version, featuring a total of four amuse-bouches. It's a nice touch that two of them are only presented just before the main course and dessert. Bread is served at the table alongside both cow's milk and goat's milk butter seasoned with sea salt from the Oosterschelde. We begin with marinated scallops accompanied by potato salad, egg yolk mousse, strips of shaved fennel, caviar, basil, citrus, and puffed quinoa. This is followed by fried monkfish fillet and tail piece, crisply cooked in breadcrumbs, served with a bone bisque flavored with Indian spices, marinated cucumber, and puffed rice. The bisque is robust and elevates the monkfish to a higher level. Paired with it is a lovely Contratiempo Moscatel Seco from 4 Ojos Wines, sourced from Salinas de Poniente, Andalusia. Then comes such a delightful amuse: a chili sin carne made with kidney beans, small diced tomatoes, a spicy pepper, and avocado cream. Truly a surprising little treat that prepares the taste buds for the main course. The main course is roasted lamb loin fillet with leek, eggplant, lemon zest, and a light jus featuring puffed garlic. Perfect for savoring one last time with the final piece of bread. The next amuse is an apricot parfait lollipop coated in white chocolate and gold glitter. Beautifully presented in a gorgeous wooden box with dovetail joints. After that comes a surprise: ice cream made from Jopen Adriaan wheat beer with ginger, marinated rhubarb, ginger-stuffed raspberries, lime zest, and cookie crumbs. Beer ice cream: a wonderful discovery. In this historic spot on the edge of the city center, it's a pleasure to linger.

Drawing on his background as a farmer’s son, chef and owner Willem Schaafsma shares a deep connection with nature. This is reflected in his use of produce from local farmers, fishermen, butchers, and hunters, as well as in the clear, recognizable presence of each ingredient within a dish. He describes his culinary approach as elegant simplicity on the plate. Schaafsma offers a tasting menu featuring fish and meat, alongside a vegetarian vegetable menu. We are highly impressed by the wine list, which features distinctive, unconventional selections, and the wines included in the wine pairing also prove to be unique gems. Dining here is a pleasure in the stunning historic building that houses Eindeloos. The interior blends classic and modern elements, adorned with a beautiful photography exhibition by Henk Bleeker. Following a few lovely vegetable amuse-bouches, such as a beetroot cake with anise-marinated beet and raspberry cream, we begin our meal with marinated scallops served with plankton cream, avocado, caviar, Dutch shrimp, and salty vegetables. A delightful dish. It truly captures the essence of the sea through its harmonious blend of briny flavors, though we certainly wished for a slightly larger portion. Paired with it is a natural wine: the Koreaa 2020 by Judith Beck from Burgenland, Austria. The intermezzo of red mullet with spring onions, asparagus, and saffron-orange sauce could use a bit more punch. Fortunately, the accompanying Oosterschelde salt and sea aster, served with the bread, remain on the table for seasoning. The pièce de résistance is a duo of lamb, cooked to perfection and accompanied by a citrus and shallot jus. To finish, a cheese board featuring exclusively premium Dutch cheeses and accompaniments. We thoroughly enjoy the Oudwijker Colosso, Reade Jutter from Terschelling, and Piemonte from Kollumerzwaag. One point of attention concerns the portion sizes, which should definitely not be reduced.

Owner-chef Willem Schaafsma has successfully established a renowned restaurant in the heart of Leeuwarden. Named Eindeloos, the establishment occupies a historic building and features a contemporary interior. A photography exhibition by Henk Bleeker plays a prominent role in the decor. Many regular patrons navigate their way to Eindeloos without fail. The cooking is excellent and surprising, primarily French-Mediterranean with occasional forays into Asian cuisine. Notably, the wine list offers an extensive selection of Austrian and German labels, with Dutch wines also making an appearance. To start, there is a delicate dish featuring crayfish and king crab accompanied by small vegetable preparations, dollops of cream, and a single small vongole. Delicious, though served rather sparingly. The main course is equally excellent: cod in an Indian curry sauce yields perfectly cooked fish with rich, robust flavors of eggplant and porcini mushrooms. The grilled beef tenderloin, however, is somewhat disappointing and noticeably blackened from the grill. It is served with a single green asparagus spear, a few porcini mushrooms, and eggplant. These accompaniments could certainly have been more generous. Kudos to the cheese board featuring exclusively Dutch varieties, and a nod to the dessert. The airy banana cake, paired with crème brûlée, vanilla ice cream, and grilled pineapple, hits all the right notes for a flawless finale: fruity, subtly sweet, with a touch of freshness and cream. Absolutely delicious.

Local products serve as the foundation for the inventive cuisine of owner-chef Willem Schaafsma. They collaborate with organic vegetable growers, fishermen, butchers, and hunters from the immediate vicinity. Consequently, the vegetables come from the local garden “Y’ne Sinne Farm”, the wild sea bass from the HA11, and the meat from hunters and their own farm. This translates into dishes that are rooted in classical tradition, enhanced with contemporary accents and an occasional Asian touch. The balance between savory elements, bright refreshing acidity, refined use of spices, and excellent digestibility is outstanding. The plating is visually stunning. The team at Eindeloos has not been idle during the intelligent lockdown. Willem Schaafsma: “We have navigated the crisis well and taken the time to refresh our restaurant’s look, with help from our team. Female elegance now serves as the unifying theme throughout our interior. We love it; it’s modern, fresh, and features striking visual accents. Additionally, we are preparing to expand Eindeloos with private dining options, thanks to purchasing the adjacent property. This will allow us to host private groups of up to 20 people in the future. With the increased spacing between tables, we can focus even more intently on our guests.” Host-sommelier Ilja Vermunt and his team ensure that every need is met. His wine list showcases gems from boutique producers, particularly from Hungary, Germany, and Austria. On the final pages, we find the Classics List, featuring a wide selection of distinctive French wines such as Condrieu, Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault, and Sancerre. For wine lovers, a true paradise. When the weather permits, guests can enjoy the beautiful terrace, bordered by a hedge of olive willows. Finally, the value for money is exemplary. Good to know: In these times of coronavirus, Eindeloos offers the option to be served with or without a service trolley, ensuring a carefree evening in a safe environment for all.

Willem Schaafsma, owner and head chef of Eindeloos in Leeuwarden, is a busy businessman. Alongside this restaurant, he also runs Drink en Eetlokaal Proefverlof and Café de Bak. Consequently, Willem has shifted more into a managerial role, meaning that during our visit we were served by head chef Ward de Graaf. We are warmly welcomed by host and sommelier Ilja Vermunt and escorted to our table in the cozy, living-room-style dining room. Rather than a fixed menu, guests choose their preferred number of courses. We begin with a salmon tartare served slightly too cold, featuring confit egg yolk, spinach cream, and maggi plant coulis. Next comes perfectly cooked cod marinated in red beets with sorrel, paired with a jus of beet and star anise. Ilja suggests a 2018 Barbebelle rosé from Aix-en-Provence to accompany it—a flawless match. The buttery-soft beef tenderloin with a garlic sauce is equally delightful. Following a dessert amuse of Earl Grey tea ice cream with a honey tuile, we conclude with pineapple and lime leaf sorbet ice cream, pandan biscuit, curry cream, and confit ginger. The Eastern influences of trainee chef Chris Zahn shine through in the final course. Simply delicious. The accompanying glass of Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett 2017, at just 8% alcohol, proves to be a surprising and highly successful pairing. A wonderful spot!

At Eindenloos, opting for organic dishes and wines yields one surprise after another. Nearly every dish bears its own distinct signature and is flawlessly executed by owner-chef Willem Schaafsma and his kitchen brigade. Their Asian culinary expertise shines through in dishes such as the five-spice powder in the root vegetable cream soup served as an amuse-bouche, the cod starter in soto broth, and the Sichuan sauce accompanying the lamb fillet main course. The Eastern influence remains highly subtle, and it is precisely this restraint that enables Eindenloos to craft truly unique flavor combinations. Master sommelier Jorrit Bokma pours exclusively organic wines, many of which are delightful discoveries. Consider the Borgoletto Soave 'Fasoli Gino' from Garganega grapes, which pairs perfectly with the delicate lime notes of the sea bass ceviche served with cream and Jerusalem artichoke chips. Another standout is the Tentation de la Marquise, a Syrah and Grenache blend from the Rhône region by Domaine de la Grangeneuve. We pair it with the Frisian lamb featuring a Sichuan sauce with a hint of orange, served alongside celeriac slices, parsnip purée, and parsnip chips. On the cheese board, the Keikop catches the eye—a Belgian white-mold cheese garnished with hop shoots. It is matched with another exceptional wine: the Chilean Sauternes-style Viu Manent Noble Sémillon.